Firing mechanism for guns



Oct. 13 1925.

J. M. BRowNlNG FIRING MECHANISM FOR GUNS Patented Oc't. 13,` 1925.

JOHN M. BROWNING, F OG-DEN', UTAH.

mme MEcHANIsM For. GUNS.

Application led'llarch 3, 1924. Serial No. 696,528.

y To all 'whom it. may concern:

" Guns,

Be it known that I. .ToriN M. BRpwNIiRG, a,citizen of the UnitedA States, resldlng 1n Ogden, in the county of Weber and State of Utah, hare-inventedf-certain-'new and us`eful- Improven'ients in Firing` Mechanismv for of which the followmg 1s a speclcation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof; 10

The invention relates generally to firing mechanisms for automatic guns and more particularly to such mechanisms which are applicable to automatic machlne guns adapted to be lixedly mounted on an airplane and pointed to fire through the iield swept by the propeller blades and .which are adapted to be operated from a. distance by impulses generated in synchronism with the 4propeller driving means.

Itis an object of the invention to provide a firing mechanism of the class described lwhich is simple in construction, reliable in operation, durable, easy of manufacture, and whichis readily applicable to existing types of machine guns.

With this and other objects in view, the invention also consists in certain devices, arrangements and vcombinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out lin the appended claims.

In the accompanying Adrawings:

Fig. 1 is a left-hand side elevation, on a greatly reduced scale, of .an automatic ma'- chine gun of a known type adapted for aircraft .use showing the invention applied thbreto.

- Fig. 2 isla partial central vertical longitudinal section through said gun, parts of the mechanism being shown in section, parts in elevationyand partsbeing-:Lbroken away.

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical'transverse section through the gun Fig. 2, as seen from the rear.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary central vertical longitudinal section` showing parts of the firing mechanism in different positions from ghe position of these parts as shown in The machine gun -to which the invention has been shown applied comprises a breech casing having side plates 1, a fixed top plate 2 and a fixed bottom plate 3 all 'rigidly and strongly interconnected to form a hollow Steel beam of great strength. At the front, the 'casing is closed by the front block 4 on the line 3 3 of secured to the forward port-lons of the side plates.` The rear end of the caslng I1s closed by the upwardly removable rear` plate 5 kept in its lower latcl15; the/forward'portion'of the-"top of the casing is closed by the hinged top cover 6 locked in closed position by the latch 6a.

The barrel 7, extension 8, see

breech casing and the longitudinal reciprocating movement in the barrel extension, being guided in .such movementl by the usual rib and groove Jconnection with said barrel extensionA and also by the pla-ne top surface of the breech block guide l() located in the lower portion of the rear end of the casing" secured to the right-hand si just above the Figs. 2 and 3.

The breech block is normally locked to the. barrel in the lu sual manner by the vertically sliding locking block 12, a portion of which 1s shown in Fig. 2, and said breech block is returned to its recoil by the reaction spring 13.

Thermechanism for unlocking the breech block from the barrel and barrel extension during the recoil of said parts and for moving said breech block rearwarfLafter it has and by a fruide strip 11 de: of the casing operativepositionV by a path of the breech block, See' See Fig. l, and the barrel Fig. 2, are mounted for. longitudinal reciprocating movement in said breech block 9 has forward position after v been so unlocked, at an accelerated rate of speed, forv returning it and the barrel and barrelext-ension forward to the firing position, andfor again locking said breech block to they barrel and barrel extension, has not been fully disclosed herein` because it forms i no part of the present invention andfis similar to that fully shown and described in my pending application for automatic machine gun,- Serial No. 654,955, filed July 31511923.

The firing pin 14.-, the rear portion ofwhich is Ashown in central vertical longitudinal section in Fig. 2, is carried in a usual manner in a longitudinal seat in the breech block 9 and is actuated by a spring 14 bearing at its forward end (not shown) against an abutment on the firing pin and at its rear end against a vertical abutment pin 15 in the breech block. The firing pin is moved to the cocked position by the cocking lever 16 pivoted in the breech block by a transverse pin 16l and having its lower arm in position to co-operate with the firing pin and its upper arm extending above the breech block for cao-operation with a recess -plate 2 of the casing, is cocked during thev application vits right-hand side, the

consequently out of the path of the cookingl lever with an upward extension 18h. Said extension is adaptedl to be engaged for actuating the sear to release thering pin to casing, by suitable means,

position fire a shot'by the novel improved mechanism now to beidescribed.

This mechanismV is shown mounted on a plate or support 19 which` is detachably se'- cured'to the fixed top plate 2 of the breech such as the bolts 19a. This arrangement on the top plate of the casing makes. said sear actuating mechanismv specially adapted for use with either right-hand fed gunsor left-hand fed guns or with guns. adapted for either right-hand or left-hand feed. 4

Said mechanism may comprise a sear actuator 20V carried by said support 19 and extending-through a slot in the top plate of the casing downwardly to a position slightly above the upward extension 18b ofthe sear 18, when the breech block 9 isA in its forward and the sear is holding the tiring pin cocked, as shown in Fig. 2. -In theembodimentV of the. invention selected forillustration, this sear actuator 20 comprises a.V two-armed lever, hereinafter called the ac-'.

tuator le'ver, pivoted in a vertical slot in the forward portion of the support 19 ou the transverse pin 20a, and is normally held in inoperative position with its forward arm '.raised, see Fig. 2, by a spring 20h, which has its upper` end seated in a recess in said arm "of the lever and its lower end in a recess in eol the top plate of the breech casing. That part ofthe sear actuator 20 which directly engages the sear is arranged to kyield in forward direction for a purpose to be later eX- plained'. To permit such yielding, said part has the form of a'second lever 20, hereinafter called the connecting lever, which `is pivoted in a vertical slot near the end of the forward arm of the actuator lever4 on the transverse pin 209. This connecting lever is kept in its normal operative position with its long lower arm in rearward position, as

shown in Fig. 2. where it rests against a suitable stop, such as the pin 21, by the ltension of a sprin 20 seated in a longitudinali recessgvin the orward arm ofthe actuator lever and bearing' with its forward end a spring 18a." Onagainst the upper short arm of said lever 20".

With the parts in the position shown in 4Fig. 2 and with a cartridge seated in the chamber of the barrel. if the rear arm of the .actuator lever isV raised the forward arm is thereby lowered and the lower end of the connecting lever` 20c .engagesv the upward projectionl8lof the sear 18. and depresses the same to release the'iringrpin, thereby firing ashot The gun will now be automatically reloadech'assuming that cartridges l have been supplied to the feed mechanism, l

Vand the'partswill again assume the position showniu Fig.v 2 .ready to lire the next shot, that is. if the actuator 20 is operated atv the rate of speed at which the gun would tire automatically or at a slower rate.r

. Since, however, the' impulses'generated by the propeller driving means of an airplane -are usually of a higher frequency than the firing rate of the gun when iringautomatically, it mav and does happen that the ac-v tuator 20. which is adapted to be operated in synchronism with such impulses. will sometimes bc in the position shownv in Fig. 4 when the recoilingparts of the gun are completing their forward movementto the firing position. In that event, no harm will result because of the yieldable mounting of the connecting lever 20. which permits its lower end. when engaged by the forward face of the upward extension 1 8b of the sear, to be moved forwardly against the tension of the snring 20a as shown in Fig. 4. The depres- 'sion of the sear cannot occur until the next downward stroke of the forward arm of theactuatfor lever, when the connecting lever will have 'been returned to its -operative'position'iby the spring 20".v I Y This construction of the sear actuator 20. also positivelyl insures that the scar will be depressed to release; the firing pin to fire a shot each time at the same angular position` of the' actuator lever when moving in one direction. which is an essential requisite to secure perfect svnchronization. i Various devices can be used-to move the sear actuator '20 `in synchronism with the propeller driving means: certainv parts of one form of suchia device which are immediately associated with the-gun, are shown in the drawings and will now be described.`

This device mavjcomprise a plunger 22 slidably supported at its considerably reduced and rounded forward end in a corresponding holey formed inthe rear vertically enlarged portion of the support 19, which forms also the forward wall of a cylindri cal casing produced b v securing the screwthreaded open forward end of a cup-shaped member 23 within a c 'orrespondingli7 threadedannular a'ge projecting rearward Jfrom V said plunger is slidably `supported in a central bearing therefor in the integral rear wall of said member 23.

To keep the 'plunger 22 normally'in' its rearward inoperative position and to return .it to such position after it has been moved forward, astrong helicalspring 24 is provided, the forward end of which rests against the interior Wall of the cylindrical casing and the rear end bears against a collar on theeplunger 22.v t

The'rear arm of the actuator lever inclines upward lsome distance and beyond this inciined portion it extends horizontally to a point near the forward wall of the cylindri'- ingforward of the wall of the cylindrical casing by resting upon the top surface of the support 19.

By this construction, it will' be evident that 'the reciprocatingv movement of the plunger 22 produces a rocking movement of the actuator lever.

vThe casing containing the plunger -22 is, in the embodiment Iof the invention selected for illustration, constructed and arranged for connection with aliquid impulse generatorand has, v therefore, a suitable chamber 30 in its rear portion into which the reduced rear end of the plunger extends.

Toprevent leakage of-liquid around said plunger in forward direction the forward end of said chamber is tapered inwardly and "taper and, yby the we gin ,M a suitablezpacking27 surrounding the plunger is forced into en agement with said same, against the plunger ya spring 28, they forward end ofwhich bears against a thin washer in rear of this packing and the rear end vagainst another packing 26 tted into the conical rear end of the chamber.

This Vrear packing 26 is provided to serve :for the connection to the cylindrical casing.

23 of the tube of a liquidimpulse generator., andin order to make said connection tight against leakage the packing 26 is of Iconical shape atl both ends; the forward end of said packing 26 fits the corresponding conical seat in the. rearvend-of the chamber. The rear portion of the casing 23forms `on its outside a projecting boss 23'1 which is screwthreaded and the threaded nut 25 is fitted, upon said boss; the rear portion of the interior of said nutis conical and tits upon the conical rear .portion of the packing 26. -By this construction the packing 26 and its seats in the nut '25 and in the rear end ofthe chamber in the casing 23, co-operate to com-- rees the packing upon the tube of the liquid mpulsegenerator.

action of the An air relief valve 29 normally closes a I port connecting the chamber 30 ywith the atmosphere. Vhen the systemis being filled with liquid, any -air trapped in this chamber may; by opening the valve `29, be -alloWed to escape.

It is evident that various changes form and arrangement of the parts vmay be made Without departing from .the spirit of the invention.

in the i I What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: t v

1. In an automatic machine gun, the combination of a breech casing, abarrel, a breech block mounted for longitudinal reciprocating movement in said casing to open and close A the breech of the barrel, a transversely movable sear carried by said breechvblock, a support mounted on the outside of-said casing, and a sear actuator piloted 'in said support and extending into saldcasing for lengagement with said sear t-o move the same in one direction'.

2. -In an automatic machine bination of a. breech casing, abreech-block mounted for longitudinal reciprocating movement in said., casing, a transversely movable Sear carried by said breech block, a support mounted on said casing, and a Sear actuator pivoted` in said' supporta and the com- I having a portion thereof in position for engagement with said sear to move the same in one direction, said portion being adapted to. yield forwardly, as .and for the purpose specified.

3. In an automatic machine gun, the

combination of a breech casing, a breech block mounted for longitudinal reciprocating movement in said casing, a transversely 1 movable sear carried by said breech block, a Support mounted on said casmg, a lever pivoted on said support and carryingav leo member adapted 4to yield forwardlyat its innen end which is normally arranged to engage and move the sear in one direction, and means constructed and arranged to be operatedfrom a distance for imparting a rapid rocking movement to said lever.`

4. In an automatic machine gun, the combination of a breech casing, a breech block mounted for longitudinal reciprocating movement in said casing, a transversely sliding sear carried by said breech block, a support mounted on a wall of said casing, a sear actuator movably supported in said support and extending into said casing for engagement with said Sear to move the same in one direction, and means carried by said support and adapted to be operated from a distancey for'imparting carried by said breech block, a Sear actuator pivoted outside said casing, and having' a portion extending into said casing for engagement with the Sear to move the same in, one direction', said inwardly extending portion being adapted to yield forwardly at its inner end, and means adapted to be operated from a distance for imparting to said sear actuator a rapid rocking movement.

6. ln an automatic machine gun, bination of a breech casing. a breech block mounted for longitudinal reciprocating movement in said casing, a vertically slidable sear carried by said breech block, a support mounted on the top of said casing, a lever pivoted in said support, a connector pivoted to said lever, said connector having its lower end normally in position for engagement with the Sear when the same 1s 1n its forward firing position to move said Sear in one direction, means permitting said end to yield forwardly if the ccnnector happens to be depressed during the final forward movement of the Sear, and means for imparting a rapid rocking movement to said lever, comprising a reciproeating plunger carried by said support and co-operating with a cam surface on said lever.

7. In a synchronized firing mechanism for automatic machine guns having a reciprocating breech block, a transversely movable sear carried by said block, a supthe comsaid scar to move 1t in one direction, and

means carried by said support for imparting a rapid vibrating movement to said sear actuator'.

8. In an automatic machine gun, the combination of a breech casing, a breech block mounted for longitudinal reciprocating movement in said casing, a transversehr movable sear carried by said -breech block, a support secured to said casing, an actuator movably mounted in-said support and arranged to engage said Searl to move the same in one direction, and means whereby the sear engaging portion of the actuator can yield in forward direction, as and' for the purpose specified.

9. In an automatic machine gun, the combination of a breech casing, a breech block longitudinally movable in said casing, a sear carried by said breech block, a sear actuator movably mounted on said casing and arranged to engage said seai' to move the same in one direction, means whereby the Sear engaging portion of the.

actuator can y1eld in forward direction, and means adapted to be .operated from a distance for moving said actuator.

This Specification signed this 27th day of February,l 1924.

JOHN Manowar-G. 

